About Osburga, Queen Consort of Wessex

Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature".

Osburga's existence is known only from Asser's Life of King Alfred. She is not named as witness to any charters, nor is her death reported in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. It is presumed, but nowhere recorded, that she was also the mother of Alfred's older brothers Æthelstan of Wessex, Æthelbald of Wessex, Æthelberht of Wessex, Æthelred of Wessex, and of his sister Æthelswith, wife of King Burgred of Mercia. The internal chronology of Asser's life suggests that Osburga was alive after the second marriage of Æthelwulf, to the Carolingian princess Judith, in 856.

Osburga is described as the daughter of Oslac, pincerna (Chamberlain) of Æthelwulf's royal household. Oslac is described as a descendant of the fictitious Jutish kings Stuf and Wihtgar, and is also ascribed Gothic ancestry. Asser may not however have been familiar with Bede,who writes that the Jutish inhabitants of the Isle of Wight- descendants of Stuf (although Wihtgar was probably fictitious)-were "destroyed", so it is unlikely that Oslac was their descendant. Oslac and Osburga are known to have held Arreton Manor on the Isle of Wight. Oslac is described as "The Chief Butler of England", although it is uncertain what this title implies. Asser clearly identifies "Gothic" as synonymous with "Jute", although this is also uncertain. Ironically Alfred's Jutish blood and descent from the Isle of Wight kings more likely came from his father's side, via the sister of King Arwald, wife of Egbert I of Kent

Children:
• Athelstan Prince of Wessex
• Ethelbald King of Wessex
• Ethelbert King of Wessex
• Ethelred I King of Wessex
• Ethelswith Queen of Mercia
• Alfred King of England, [The Great]

--------------------

OSBURGA2 (Oslac of the of the ISLE OF WIGHT1), daughter of (1) Oslac of the1 ISLE OF WIGHT, was born between 794 and 835, and died between 849 and 945. She married (ANZ-15) KING AETHELWULF OF WESSEX of Wessex, England, United Kingdom, son of (ANZ-14) King Egbert and Raedburga, who was born circa 795/800[2], and died on 13 Jan. 858[2]. [3]

Dau. of Oslac, the royal cup-bearer. [2] Children: See (ANZ-15) King Aethelwulf of WESSEX

Because a well-known story about the childhood of King Alfred has his mother Osburga offering a book of poems to whichever of her children memorized a poem first, some historians think she may have been able to read, a very rare accomplishment for a woman of her day.

Kings and Queens of Great Britain, Genealogical Chart, Anne Taute and Romilly Squire, Taute, 1990: "Aethewulf, Son of Ecgbert King of West Saxons, King of Wessex 839- Deposed 856, Died 858, Mar =1 Osburga Daughter of Oslac the Chief Butler, =2 Judith Daughter of Charles II The Bald King of France =ii Aethelbald."

The Formation of England 550-1042, HPR Finberg, 1974, Paladin, p123: "...Ethelwulf reached Rome by June 855, and stayed there for twelve months. He was now a widower..."

MARRIAGE: Marriage Information: Osburgh married King Ethelwulf WESSEX, son of King Egbert WEST SAXONY and Queen Redburch Wessex WEST SAXONY, in 857. (King Ethelwulf WESSEX was born about 801-806 in , Wessex, England, died on 13 Jan 857-858 in , , England and was buried in Stamridge). -------------------- Queen Osburga, a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature; she was daughter of Oslac, the famous butler of King Ethtelwulf, which Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Whitgar, two brothers and counts; who, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from their uncle, King Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place called Gwihtgaraburgh.

Leo: Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, London, 1973 , Reference: 189. -------------------- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osburh -------------------- Osburga or Osburh was the first wife of King Æthelwulf of Wessex and mother of Alfred the Great, "a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature".

Osburga's existence is known only from Asser's Life of King Alfred. She is not named as witness to any charters, nor is her death reported in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. It is presumed, but nowhere recorded, that she was also the mother of Alfred's older brothers Æthelstan of Wessex, Æthelbald of Wessex, Æthelberht of Wessex, Æthelred of Wessex, and of his sister Æthelswith, wife of King Burgred of Mercia. The internal chronology of Asser's life suggests that Osburga was alive after the second marriage of Æthelwulf, to the Carolingian princess Judith, in 856.

Osburga is described as the daughter of Oslac, pincerna (Chamberlain) of Æthelwulf's royal household. Oslac is described as a descendant of the fictitious Jutish kings Stuf and Wihtgar, and is also ascribed Gothic ancestry. Asser may not however have been familiar with Bede,who writes that the Jutish inhabitants of the Isle of Wight- descendants of Stuf (although Wihtgar was probably fictitious)-were "destroyed", so it is unlikely that Oslac was their descendant. Oslac and Osburga are known to have held Arreton Manor on the Isle of Wight. Oslac is described as "The Chief Butler of England", although it is uncertain what this title implies. Asser clearly identifies "Gothic" as synonymous with "Jute", although this is also uncertain. Ironically Alfred's Jutish blood and descent from the Isle of Wight kings more likely came from his father's side, via the sister of King Arwald, wife of Egbert I of Kent

Children: • Athelstan Prince of Wessex • Ethelbald King of Wessex • Ethelbert King of Wessex • Ethelred I King of Wessex • Ethelswith Queen of Mercia • Alfred King of England, [The Great] --------------------

OSBURGA2 (Oslac of the of the ISLE OF WIGHT1), daughter of (1) Oslac of the1 ISLE OF WIGHT, was born between 794 and 835, and died between 849 and 945. She married (ANZ-15) KING AETHELWULF OF WESSEX of Wessex, England, United Kingdom, son of (ANZ-14) King Egbert and Raedburga, who was born circa 795/800[2], and died on 13 Jan. 858[2]. [3] Dau. of Oslac, the royal cup-bearer. [2] Children: See (ANZ-15) King Aethelwulf of WESSEX

Because a well-known story about the childhood of King Alfred has his mother Osburga offering a book of poems to whichever of her children memorized a poem first, some historians think she may have been able to read, a very rare accomplishment for a woman of her day.

Kings and Queens of Great Britain, Genealogical Chart, Anne Taute and Romilly Squire, Taute, 1990: "Aethewulf, Son of Ecgbert King of West Saxons, King of Wessex 839- Deposed 856, Died 858, Mar =1 Osburga Daughter of Oslac the Chief Butler, =2 Judith Daughter of Charles II The Bald King of France =ii Aethelbald."

The Formation of England 550-1042, HPR Finberg, 1974, Paladin, p123: "...Ethelwulf reached Rome by June 855, and stayed there for twelve months. He was now a widower..."

MARRIAGE: Marriage Information: Osburgh married King Ethelwulf WESSEX, son of King Egbert WEST SAXONY and Queen Redburch Wessex WEST SAXONY, in 857. (King Ethelwulf WESSEX was born about 801-806 in , Wessex, England, died on 13 Jan 857-858 in , , England and was buried in Stamridge). -------------------- Queen Osburga, a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature; she was daughter of Oslac, the famous butler of King Ethtelwulf, which Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Whitgar, two brothers and counts; who, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from their uncle, King Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place called Gwihtgaraburgh.